Someone far wiser and far more responsible than me once said that dizzyingly high rev limits were a waste of time. In road cars, anyway. Their reasoning was that no one would be foolish and careless enough to regularly take their own car to its redline, so why have 8000rpm or 9000rpm limits? You'd be bonkers to subject your car to such torture.
Well, sir or madam, whoever you were, there are many of us who can't help but use every last rev available, drawn to the redline like moths to a flame. While wailing valve-gear is torture for some, to others it's sweet music.
As one of these self-confessed rev obsessives, today is my lucky day. I'll be let loose with three Type R Hondas. The lowest rev limit between them is 8000rpm. I am giddy with excitement. Awaiting me is the first Honda Civic Type R, the EK9 generation, and the first Integra Type R, the DC2. If it isn't clear yet, fans of Type Rs - like many 1990s Japanese car enthusiasts (me included) - love a nerdy model designation. Why call it a Mk1 when you can display your detailed knowledge by using an obscure chassis or engine code?
Outside my window, to transport me to the other two is a Honda Accord Type R, the CH1. In a world where a normal, innocent Fiesta has a boot spoiler and a modern Civic Type R has so many wings and vents that it looks like a Hollywood Transformer halfway through its metamorphosis, this Accord looks tame. The late-'90s saloon rides high on its 17in Speedline alloy wheels and its not-so-bright-red paint seems to be a leftover from the days when Honda was in bed with Rover: dignified and stately, but not exactly sporty. Its twin exhausts and high spoiler simply don't have the impact to help it live up to its Type R billing.
Denne historien er fra August 2022-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
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Denne historien er fra August 2022-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim
One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison
